Tracked rolling set

Abstract

A rolling element that touches the ground only via a limited contact area, offering the same advantages of comfort and handling as large diameter wheels, but occupying a far smaller amount of space. The track cooperates with a main roller and at least one secondary roller, the axes of rotation of which are distant by a constant distance, the tracks touching the ground only when the vehicle encounters an obstacle because they cooperate with a roller, the diameter of which is small enough to keep them off the ground when the vehicle is resting on its wheels.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A rolling element comprising a main roller, a secondary roller and a track cooperating with these two rollers, wherein the axis of rotation of the said secondary roller is fixed at the end of an arm itself in rotation around the axis of rotation of the main roller, and by the fact that, at least in one possible configuration, the said track rests on the floor by a surface or set of so-called elementary ground cooperation surfaces whose total length is less than or equal to 20% of the total length of the said track. 
     
     
         17 . The rolling element according to  claim 16  wherein the said track cooperates continuously with the top and the bottom of the said main roller. 
     
     
         18 . The rolling element according to  claim 16 , wherein it has a second secondary roller attached to the end of an arm itself in rotation around the axis of rotation of the main roller. 
     
     
         19 . The rolling element according to  claim 16  wherein said arm is equipped with an elastic suspension to better absorb the obstacles. 
     
     
         20 . The rolling element according to  claim 19  wherein the elastic suspension to better absorb obstacles is obtained by the fact that the said arm is telescopic. 
     
     
         21 . The rolling element according to  claim 16  wherein it is equipped with a wheel that can support the said rolling element. 
     
     
         22 . The rolling element according to  claim 21  wherein the said wheel rotates around the axis of rotation of the said main roller. 
     
     
         23 . The rolling element according to claim  6  wherein it can move from a configuration so called driven track in which said main roller rotates with the said wheel to a configuration so called free track in which said main roller does not rotate with the said wheel. 
     
     
         24 . The rolling element according to  claim 23  wherein the said wheel is powered and that the distance between the said wheel and the said roller can be changed between the said driven track configuration in which the said wheel touches the said roller and the said free track configuration in which said wheel does not touch said roller. 
     
     
         25 . The rolling element according to  claim 23  wherein a modification of the altitude of at least a secondary roller results to the passage in the said driven track mode. 
     
     
         26 . A vehicle wherein it comprises a rolling element according to  claim 16  and a platform that may rotate around the axis of rotation of the said main roller. 
     
     
         27 . The vehicle wherein it comprises a rolling element according to  claim 16 , and by the fact that it is equipped with one or more sensors and an electronic control unit to manage the position of a said secondary roller and/or the inclination of the said platform in the case where there is an inclinable platform, or the acceleration of the vehicle in the case where it is powered. 
     
     
         28 . The vehicle according to  claim 26  wherein it is equipped with a handlebar rotating around the axis of rotation of the said main roller. 
     
     
         29 . The vehicle according to  claim 28  wherein said handlebar inclination to the horizontal is kept relatively constant when the vehicle is driving on a ground that ascends or descends. 
     
     
         30 . The vehicle according to  claim 26  wherein the inclination of the said platform is maintained substantially constant relatively to the plane of the road as it can be parsed by one or more sensors. 
     
     
         31 . The vehicle according to  claim 30  wherein those sensors are ground proximity sensors placed respectively at the front and rear thereof rolling element. 
     
     
         32 . The vehicle equipped with three rolling elements according to  claim 16 , wherein such rolling elements are connected by three ball joints to a chassis. 
     
     
         33 . The vehicle according to  claim 29  wherein said chassis comprises telescopic arms.